Spring Break Vacation Packing List

It’s almost that time of year when we trade our sweaters for sarongs and hit the beach for spring break. After being out of the warm-weather groove for a while (well, most of you), you might need a spring break vacation packing list filled with warm-weather “must haves” to help kick start your packing for your beach-side days. The Gals will be descending upon San Juan Marriott in Puerto Rico for our spring break this month and you can bet our bags will have every one of these items or something similar!

1. Sunscreen. Sunscreen has to be number one because: a. A nasty sunburn can ruin your vacation and b. Skin cancer can ruin your life (living in a sunny location, I can count on two hands the people I know who have or have had skin cancer). Coppertone’s latest line covers the entire family: Water Babies, which my kiddos were lathered in every day as infants, Continuous Spray is my favorite for my preschoolers (it’s clear and no rub, SPF 70+), Sport is perfect for my athletic husband and for me… I heart Coppertone’s NutraShield line which is designed especially for women. NutraShield is made with antioxidants to protect skin from UV rays and to repair skin from past damage. (The face formula is only 3 ounces – perfect for airline carry-on.)

2. Hat. A cute hat is a beach “must have” and if you score one with sun protection – all the better. Wallaroo Hat Company has a variety of styles and colors suiting every personality – check out the 2009 line (cute!). Plus, several styles have Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) 50+.

3. Shades. I know this sounds cliche, but every time I purchase an expensive pair of sunglasses they break. This year Christie Sunglasses by Christie Brinkley are found on sunglasses racks (you can score them at Wal-Mart for $30!) and the names can’t get much more spring-breaky than these: Dayton, Destin (what you’ll see me wearing), Gainesville (shaped liked Jackie O’s classic shades), Tampa and Sanibel.

4. The Bag. Every year I search for a new spring purse, but this year I came up with a different strategy after I came to a realization: I no longer need a diaper bag sized bag! That’s right, my kids are officially past the point of diapers, wipes and pull-ups and what an exciting moment it is! With that in mind, I’ll now be toting a cute Ann Veronica Yarmouth Clam Bag which is just the right size for my room key and lip gloss. If you love larger bags, the entire Ann Veronica collection is adorable – including full-sized beach bags.

5. A Good Razor. I shouldn’t have to go into much explanation here, after all hairy legs and beach should not be used in the same sentence – but I did come across an awesome new Venus razor, but first let me indulge in a little vignette: I was passing out beverages on a long flight. All of a sudden the overpowering scent of peaches filled the cabin. At first I thought someone was chewing gum…but a little while later we discovered the lid of a woman’s shaving cream had popped off in her suitcase and the heel of a shoe had hit the button just right to expel the entire can of cream into her bag. It did smell good. Venus has brilliantly created a 2-in-1 Venus Spa Breeze Razor which means it’s a no-shaving-cream-needed razor. Instead, there is a gel bar and you can throw it in your carry on (just don’t try using it on the plane).

6. Flip-flops. I know I’ve professed my love for flip-flops in the past, but I just can’t live without them on beach vacations because they pack so easily. When I want to “dress up” a bit a throw on a pair with a little heel, like Okabashi’s new Splash Flip Flops. These are actually cute for anytime, plus they come in several colors, offer arch support and they have massage beads. Come to mama!

And finally….

7. Prevent Sand In The Crack – of your phone that is. If fact, you can help protect all of your electronics with Otter Box’s long list of electronic protectors. These little “defenders” (see the Defender Series and the 3 layers of protection) offer sand, graham cracker crumb, baby spit-up, poolside splashing, dropping, bumping and scratching protection. They come in a variety of cool colors, too.